Dentsu Kenya graduation marks major win for emerging influencers

First cohort of graduates in the Dentsu School of Influence/JAMES GICHIGI

Dentsu Kenya, an organisation supporting emerging influencers and content creators on Saturday, April 26, 2025 celebrated the graduation of its first cohort from the School of Influence in a colourful and cheerful event.

The school of influence was aimed at equipping upcoming content creators with the necessary skills and experience required to thrive in the growing content creation market.

A competitive and rigorous shortlisting process based on engagement rates and content quality saw 100 participants, out of over 1000 candidates who vied for the position, achieve the graduation milestone after working with top brand partners such as HMD, EABL, DTB, L'Oréal, NCBA, and Sol Generation.

Out of the 100 graduates, some received exclusive “golden ticket” contracts to collaborate with the brand partners in the future.

Dentsu Kenya CEO Joel Rao/TRACY MUTHONI.

Dentsu Kenya Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joel Rao highlighted the success of the initiative, noting that the idea behind the Dentsu School of Influence was driven by a need to bridge the knowledge gap between established influencers and emerging creators.

“We saw a growing community of young, energetic, and creative talents who lacked the experience and platform knowledge that bigger creators had," the CEO said.

 "Our goal was to equip them with the skills to compete at the same level with the big creators, if not better, and to collaborate internationally."

The Star spoke to some of the graduates who could hardly contain their excitement and looked forward to growing their careers.

Dentsu School of Influence Graduate Wangari Kairu/TRACY MUTHONI

Wangari Kairu, one of the graduates, earned two golden tickets from HMD and L'Oréal.

She shared that as a content creator, she thrives on learning and growth, stating, "I love learning, and knowing I was learning from the best made me seize this opportunity."

Wangari also mentioned her passion for informing others about what's happening around the world, highlighting her dedication to sharing knowledge and keeping her audience engaged with global trends.

“My most memorable moment was creating a FIFA video that got over 2M views. Since FIFA is often seen as a male-dominated field, some men challenged me, saying no female could beat them. They offered me Sh100,000 if I won, and I took on the challenge. The video’s success proved that women can thrive in gaming,” she said.

Dentsu Kenya School of Influence Graduate Abel Kiptoo/TRACY MUTHONI.

Abel Kiptoo, another graduate, earned three golden tickets from DTB, EABL, and Sol Generation.

As a growing influencer, Abel said he saw the opportunity to apply to the program after the agency offered learning opportunities specifically for nano influencers.

He recognised it as a valuable chance to expand his influence and grow his skills in the industry.

“I have learned so many lessons from the program. From contract management as a content creator, to the kind of tools we should use in the creative economy in Kenya, how to brand ourselves, and one of my best learning experiences is on self-perception and being authentic,” he shared.

Maria Kilonzo, a content creator specialising in beauty, skincare, and period health, won one golden ticket.

She advised emerging content creators to avoid falling into the pitfalls of impostor syndrome and self-doubt, encouraging them to stay confident in their unique abilities and continue pushing forward in their journeys.

Dentsu CEO Joel noted that Kenya has been a major success for their organisation, with the School of Influence now running internationally in countries like South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, and Spain, adding that his vision is to build partnerships between Kenyan influencers and global markets.

He encouraged aspiring and the next generation of creators to embrace discipline, openness, creativity, and hard work as they pursue their careers.

The second cohort is set to begin in September later this year.